Supreme Court Hit By Dearth Of Justices As Court Of Appeal Gets New Judges

By Ayodele Oni

Nigeria’s Apex Court, is now left with 11 Justices. One of them,  Honourable Justice Amina Adamu Augie will  retire on Thursday having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 years on Sunday, 3rd September, 2023.

The traditional valedictory court session in her honour, which ought to have taken place in September 3 was delayed due to the annual vacation of the Court which ended on Friday, 15th September, 2023.

The Supreme Court in its full capacity is expected to have sitting 22 Justices including the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN).

The number, it was gathered, was reduced by retirements and deaths of some of the Justices with the last death recorded in July this year of Justice Centus Chima Nweze.

The remaining Justices at the Apex Court bench are Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola; Musa Dattijo, Kudirat Motomori Kekere-Ekun, John Inyang Okoro, Uwani Abba Aji, Garba Lawal and Helen Morenikeji Ogunwumiju.

The rest are Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijjani Abubakar and Emmanuela Akomaye Agim.

However, the Court of Appeal is expected to have an additional nine

Justices this week as new appointees will be sworn- in.

Justice  Ariwoola will on Wednesday, September 20, administer oath of office on the newly appointed nine Justices of the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

A statement on Sunday by  the Supreme Court’s Director of Press and Information, Festus Akande, indicated that the CJN will administer oath of office on the new Court of Appeal Justices by 11:00 am.

The new Appellate Court Justices are: Hannatu Azumi Laja-Balogun from Kaduna State, who was appointed a High Court Judge on 24th May, 1999; Binta Fatima Zubairu from Kaduna State, appointed a High Court Judge on 31st October, 2001; and Peter Chudi Obiora from Anambra State, who was sworn-in as High Court Judge on 17th January, 2005.

Others are Justices Okon Efreti Abang from Akwa Ibom State, who was appointed a High Court Judge on 22nd June, 2009; Asma’u Musa Mainoma from the Federal Capital Territory, appointed High Court Judge on 1st February, 2013; Lateef Adebayo Ganiyu from Oyo State, who became High Court Judge on 26th June, 2014; and Jane Esienanwan Iyang from Cross River State, who was sworn-in as High Court Judge on 12th February, 2015.

The rest are Hadiza Rabiu Shagari from Sokoto State, who was elevated to the High Court Bench on 12th February, 2015; and Paul Ahmed Bassi from Borno State, appointed to the High Court on 14th July, 2017.